4th Annual Madison Mental Health Market

Presented by Madtown Artisans in support of and in collaboration with SOAR (Supporting Opportunities for Advocacy and Resilience), the Madison Mental Health Market is a time and space that both organizations have cultivated since November 2023 for people of all walks of life who have lived experience of trauma, emotional distress, and all the other things systems often call “mental health” or substance use challenges. It’s a place where finding a means of support in the pursuit of living well, creativity, and community not only exist together in the same space, but they influence one another in large and small ways. It’s a place where local people of all walks of life who create fine arts, crafts, jewelry, stories & books, herbal goods, prints, yarn arts, food, and so much more can share their work and connect with others who have shared identities.

Many of the people supported by SOAR are also artists, makers, writers, creators, and dreamers building something incredibly meaningful in their lives. This market is meant to be an accessible opportunity for people of all walks of life to take the steps into sharing their work publicly, build confidence in themselves & their business, and participate in the local creative economy with others who have been professional creatives in the Madison vending community for anywhere from a year or two to decades.

If you, a friend, a loved one, or if you’re a mental health professional, someone you support may enjoy vending, volunteering, or simply attending, please feel free to share this opportunity with them. Folks applying to be a vendor do not need to be professional artists, makers, authors, or creators! They just need to be people who make things and want to be part of a supportive community space.

If you’d like to support the market in other ways, we are also accepting donations to help cover vendor booth fees and seller’s permits for vendors who may not otherwise be able to participate. Making this market financially accessible is one of our biggest priorities. We hope to do this in support of maximizing equity, allowing creatives from all economic backgrounds to participate, learn, and connect, building a stronger & more diverse community.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to Madtown Artisans. And if this resonates with you, please help spread the word!

This market is just one small piece of a much bigger picture – people supporting one another in building lives that feel creative, meaningful, and connected. Every story deserves respect and every creator deserves space at the table to share their story and their art. Help us in continuing to create something beautiful and powerful for a fourth year. 💛

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you’d like to make a donation, please donate via SOAR’s website here: https://soarcms.org/support-the-movement. In the checkout, you’ll be able to designate that you’d like your donation be put toward the art market.

Vendor applications are open until March 28th, 2026 at 11:59p. First time vendors, emerging artists, disabled, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, & CCS consumers encouraged to apply. If you or someone you know would like to apply to be a vendor, please apply through this link: https://forms.gle/GEaTojNbmJn5poGM7

If you or someone you know would like to apply to be a volunteer, please apply through this link: https://forms.gle/N8hUe9KiqBuxkwyy7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION:

Madtown Artisans and SOAR are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible, welcoming, and accommodating event environment for all vendors and attendees.
This event is wheelchair accessible.

The event is being held at SOAR (Supporting Opportunities for Advocacy & Resilience) inside the building and in their parking lot. The parking lot is paved and has accessible parking available. The building has a ramp to the front entrance as well as door openers for accessibility.

The restroom available upstairs is large enough for wheelchair and other mobility aid users as well as having pull bars available near the toilet. There is a sharps container available in the upstairs restroom.

There is a water fountain available upstairs in the building and salt will be available near the water fountain for anyone who needs increased salt intake.

We ask that attendees refrain from wearing strong fragrances in order to be respectful of those with allergies and environmental sensitivities.

There will be a quiet room available for those who may be overstimulated, need a quiet area to regulate themselves, and for those who need a break so they can then continue enjoying the event.

We plan to clearly sign routes of travel inside the building as well as outside.

Mask usage is encouraged inside to protect those in our community who are more vulnerable to illness.

SOAR is a dog friendly office Monday through Friday. There may be service animals present, including dogs or cats. Despite regular cleaning, trace elements of allergens and dander may be present.

If you have any specific accessibility questions, please contact Madtown Artisans at madtownartisans @gmail.com by May 16, 2026